RAINY DAYS AND FRIDAYS
by Contessa Lawson
Summary: This is their story. This could be their story. In another lifetime. Meet Serena and Darien again. And fall in love once more.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: SM's not mine. Sure.

RAINY DAYS AND FRIDAYS

Blast. She had to attend make up classes tomorrow. HIgh school days were over and so were detention hours. But college was another matter. On top of that, it was raining. On her Friday.

She desolately shifted her gaze to her right. the Crown Cafe's glass paned walls glistened with fresh rainwater. for a sunny person like her, bringing an umbrella would be redundant. Who could be enjoying this thunderstorm? she silently wondered.

"They should be here in ten minutes or I'm leaving," she heard a familiar voice said. Serena turned her head to the baritone's direction.

Darien Lawson. There's one guy who aced his way through medical school. He'd be a specialist in no time, she resignedly thought.

"Give them a break, Darien. Unlike you, most people don't cherish rain," Andrew Fischer said in good humor.

Serena shook her head.So Mr. Minus-Zero back there loved this cold weather. How apt, she sarcastically thought. Cold. She focused her eyes on the sundae before her. It had melted, untouched. When she lifted her blue orbs, she looked directly into a pair of cobalt ones, no-- sapphire-- not quite, bluest blue then.

"HI," she almost choked and he noted it. She was sure of it by the way his lips tilted at the corners.

"Hi yourself," he replied. Gorgeous smile. That should be illegal, Sere thought. "I noticed you're not avoiding me tonight," he drawled.

"Short of getting wet, walking in on that thunderstorm, I decided your -- distant -- company will be welcome. Besides, I can hardly avoid my best friend's boyfriend, can I?" Rei would grill her for being rude to her man.

He neither confirmed nor denied her statement. There was no need. Silence means yes, doesn't it?

She took a sip of water and put the crystal glass down with a thud. He silently drank his coffee. She was certain it was that.

"I must be going. See you, Darien!" NOt really, if I see you first. "Bye, Andrew." She smiled to him.

"I'll walk you home." It wasn't an offer. It was almost a threat if not a dark promise.

"Surely-"

"It's drizzling and you don't have an umbrella." Lost. She lost.

From the counter, Andrew shook his head. He heard the exchange clearly. Man, Darien got it bad. He offered to walk the girl home when his car was lying about. Maybe, he's saving that for another time. If anything, sharing an umbrella was cozier. 


	2. Thunderstorms

_Hi, there_

_I was going to type the next chapter for the super-x wife… post it, instead of waiting for November, but my longhand draft is hiding…and this was at hand. Pray that I find it._

_Actually, I'm feeling bubbly today because my niece is coming to see me and I'm sure I wouldn't be able to spend any more time in front of my computer when she's here, so I'm spending as much time as I could before she arrives. _

_Also, it was announced that there'd be power shortage tomorrow (third world, you see… hehe) so please bug my government instead of me._

_Well, 'this' was supposed to be one of those hundred drabbles that never saw the light of day. I was new to fanfiction then. I found this on top of my chapter 11 never broken draft. The closest date was May 2006. It was in a special notebook. _

_I hope you like it. Tell me if you do. Maybe we can add more if I get enough reaction._

THUNDERSTORMS

Walking side by side in the rain. Sharing an umbrella. How romantic, Serena morosely mused. How could this be happening? Did Darien suddenly develop a conscience for being so nasty to her in the past?

Suddenly, a bolt of lightning flitted across the sky and there was a flash before them. She felt like a million dollars, like a star caught by the sneaky paparazzi. No, she wasn't the actor. The guy beside her was. And she was being cursed because of him. But there was a booming sound that followed it and she gave a shout of fright, and felt like a fool in the next second. Especially when she discovered that she had mechanically latched onto Darien's arm that was on her side.

He stiffened, his feet stuck to the ground and looked down on her shaking form.

The man muttered an incoherent invective (she really wasn't sure if it was). Was he annoyed at her cowardice? But she still couldn't let go of his arm if her life depended on it. Her heart seemed to have stepped out of her ribcage and all she could think of was pacifying herself and steadying her knees. They were wobbling.

"Are you all right?" he gently asked, much to her surprise. Time seemed to have been suspended.

"Terrified." It was a good thing her things are all in her shoulder bag. Her voice was unsteady. "I'm sorry." She carefully removed her two hands on his arm and forced her head that was so near his chest and chin away from his powerful form.

"Have you always been like this?" They were walking again.

Her knees were still weak, from fright perhaps. Or was it due to their contact? Her heartbeat was being painful in its speed. She'd never been this close to a man before.

"According to my mother, yes. She said I managed to jump over an obstacle that was more than half my size when I was three to get to her side one time. I don't really recall doing that. But a cousin attested to it. And then when I was ten, I was standing on this two-feet high platform, and she was standing a good length away from me," she was babbling without realizing it, her hand moving in front of her in action, "this mighty thunder roared and I mindlessly leaped to embrace her. She was too worried about me to give me a beating for nearly toppling her over." She smiled at the recollection. She gave a nervous laugh and looked up at him. He was smiling at her too. "Huh?"

"I'll remember to be around you during thunderstorms."

"Don't worry. I could sleep through it, believe me. And I'm getting better at overcoming my fear these days." She looked away. He's such a jerk, wanting to be around when she's feeling her pathetic self.

"Lady, do I need to explain it?"

She searched his face, puzzlement in her pretty blue eyes.

He continued. "I want to make sure you don't hug the wrong guys when your phobia hits."

"Funny," she said in an embarrassed, subdued tone. "I didn't hug you."

There was vehemence in that voice, Darien noted. And the princess was blushing.

"Did too," he mocked in a soft tone.

Rei would kill her now, if half the female population of Azabu Tech wouldn't beat her to the job.

"Thanks for bringing me home." They were at the gate of her house. "Guess what, it stopped raining. No need to see me to the door."

"Shame." He unfolded his umbrella and looked up at the sky, which was still covered by fluffy gray clouds. How he wished a thunder would break once more. "Say, can I meet your parents?"

"Maybe next time." She frowned at his request. _Whatever for? _Maybe never. _I'll remember to have an umbrella with me all the time. No more next time._

"I'll take you up on that." With a smile on his lips, he turned upon his heel.


	3. Chapter 3

_AN: From this point onwards… this story would take a leaf out of never broken. And if anyone's interested never broken was inspired by the story A BROKEN MARRIAGE… I found a story that was very similar to it and maybe someday, when I get the guts and permission, I'll share it via e-mail… the way we share things. Ne?_

_Disclaimers apply. _

She can hardly forget that day. Never did she imagine that she would meet someone as _special_ as him. Someone as different. Someone so … out of her league.

He was not your usual alpha male. He was attractive. Yes. Devastatingly so. What one would call beautifully handsome even. She wondered if the man knew it. He didn't appear to mind the girls flocking around him. Well, was there a guy alive who would? But he didn't seem to bask in their adoration either. Was he bored talking to them?

Or was he being sincere. She didn't know. Would she ever know?

She was called by the president of the club from another room. Maimai, that was the president's name. She was a very kind girl with long dark curls and a shy smile. Very soft-spoken… Serena was amazed she was president of their chapter. And she didn't mean that in the criticizing way. It just shows that power is not always severity and austereness.

'Serena, I would like you to meet someone.'

Out of respect, admiration and fondness, Serena walked to the president's side. She smiled without asking whoever this other person might be.

They walked side by side to the next conference room.

'Serena this is Darien, Darien—Serena,' Maimai said. She would learn later that Darien was Maimai's neighbor and a member of their chapter too. But that would soon change. He would soon belong to another.

They shook hands. It was the customary greeting.

He smiled. She couldn't remember him saying a word to her. He was kind, she knew that.

'You attend the same university,' Maimai urged the conversation.

'What college?' Serena asked. She didn't mind if she was the first to speak.

'Science,' he replied. 'You?'

'Arts and Letters.'

She discovered later that he transferred from the university branch in Tokyo.

For several years that memory was just that. A memory. A simple, unimportant meeting. Or so she thought. She never had an inkling that it would hurt her to have met him. Because she believe he was just another in the sea of faces that she would soon forget.

How wrong could one get?


	4. Astigmatism

ASTIGMATISM

They certainly weren't that close. She wouldn't call him a friend… they were like two persons whose angle of acquaintance improve upon meetings. Sometimes not.

Like that time when he offered to drive her to class. And she sat on the backseat with her friend. She was just too shy. She wasn't thinking. Nobody ever offered to drive her anywhere before.

But obviously, Darien was offended. He never offered to drive her anywhere anymore after that. And he didn't speak to her for at least a month even if they see each other at functions. He pretended not to see her.

He would smile. But it lacked warmth. And she could not feel the sincerity in his gaze.

Yes. Sometimes, she felt like they were enemies.

Like when he didn't seem to notice her. It had happened. Several times.

One time, they attended the same conference. She was sitting near the entrance and his seat was in the middle of the room. She never really knew if he saw her. He gave no indication. She left the conference feeling very desolate and disappointed.

_He didn't even know I was there,_ she thought to herself.

If he did, would he have come after her? Would he have followed her outside the room? Would he talk to her for a while? Let her feel important?

_He could be such a jerk._

Define close. How close were the two of them? It would only apply if they were trapped in a place where the people surrounding them were absolute strangers. Or even then, maybe Darien would meet this stunning dark-haired lady or that gorgeous redhead and leave her stranded, huh?

Yes. At best, around with common friends, they were acquaintances.

Darien was not the type to hesitate. She knew that for a fact. Those were the times when he didn't appear to be her nemesis. That was why he made her so confuse all the time. All the time.

Because if he really liked her, he would tell her, right? He would court her openly and…

She's dreaming.

He didn't like her. Not that way. That's why they are just that: ACQUAINTANCES. Not friends. Not enemies.

He would always, always walk up to her… say hi, invite himself to her table. It's fascinating really… the instances when they meet.

One time she didn't realize that he was trying to get her attention from afar. She wasn't wearing her glasses and because of that she couldn't see him looking at her while she was biting heartily into her cheeseburger.

She liked her glasses better than her contacts. In fact, she tried hard not to rely on her contact lenses too much. And she had no contacts that time either.

When she'd finish her fast-food meal, he came up to the table that she was sharing with a couple of friends.

"Hi," he greeted, his smile teasing.

Serena felt foolish. She was imagining herself digging in the big bun. She said the first thing that came to her head.

"It was you?" She had been looking at his blurred, smiling image ever since she started eating, wondering who the heck he was.

Oddly, she didn't feel ill at ease while he was watching her earlier. And she wasn't really sure if he _was_ studying her while she was eating. She only glanced his way twice. Before and after she finished her meal. And she was also chatting and laughing warmly with her friends.

No wonder he was smiling. What could he be thinking?

To answer her question, Darien nodded, still smiling.

Serena didn't know that she was pouting now. _Stupid, stupid, stupid!_ _He saw me gobble the big burger in record time. That's why he can't help the smile on his face._

"Bye," Darien bid.

"Well, bye." It was a good thing she didn't know who he was from afar.

Astigmatism has its merits. One could enjoy one's meal in peace.

It wasn't their last meal together.


	5. The Love Letter

"Was he angry, do you think?" She was upset now. The idea of offending Darien by not sitting in his car's passenger seat was really troubling her.

"I don't know. He doesn't seem that shallow, but you really should have sat in front," Shiella said, not helping Serena's feelings at all. "I wonder why he's always around wherever you happen to be. Come to think of it, he didn't even say goodbye properly this time. He's usually so friendly, isn't he?" Now, her friend seemed perplexed by Darien's attitude as well.

"But… I honestly didn't think—"

"Yes, we've established that already. Whenever he's in the vicinity, your faculties go a little jammed." Shiella's smile was teasing.

Shiella was Serena's best friend in college. They had some classes together, but since Serena enrolled late that semester, her subjects were assigned in different buildings.

One time, she was waiting for her Political Science class to start. The students usually sat outside the room, with their backs to the wall, along the corridor. It was a university tradition that Serena eventually embraced, especially since she loved wearing skinny jeans and old shirts to school.

They had a quiz that day so she decided to do a little reviewing. There wasn't much time. Contrary to her fingers' desire, her book opened to the part where a single stationery paper peeped. The pink paper greeted her brightly when she placed the book on her lap. She picked up the stationery and put it atop the left page, wondering what it could be.

She unconsciously when she noticed what _she _had written there some time ago. She had forgotten all about it. It was a Robert Louis Stevenson quote.

It said something about…

A hand suddenly appeared out of nowhere and landed on the book on her lap, atop the solitary stationery.

Serena slowly lifted her head to the owner of the hand.

Darien was kneeling in front of her, his left hand on his left knee, his right arrogantly and effectively obscuring the quote from her view. He was covering the pink and babyishly designed paper if he had every right to do it.

A 21st century p—

A 21st century male-chauvinist p—

Prince, she amended.

"A love letter?" he asked.

He was smiling but she felt a warning in his tone. Her heart was beating so fast and so hard, so loud, Serena was amazed she could still hear and understand him.

She could only shake her head in response. Not a sound escaped her lips. She wondered if he saw her swallow that imaginable lump in her throat.

"Good." He stood up again. "Tell your beau to stop sending them." He left without as much as a glance in her direction.

Serena was too astounded to call him back and explain that… well, it would have been ridiculous to tell him that she just liked the quote and found herself a nice piece of paper and… it was obvious that he did not believe her that it wasn't from a suitor.

"That was one jealous boyfriend," commented Joan, a classmate. How long had the other girl been sitting beside her?

She must have been listening to the exchange long enough, Serena thought.

"He's not—"

"Not jealous? Believe me, I know jealous when I see and hear it. You should have seen his eyes when you were reading the note. Blue flames, they were. That tiny smile on your lips was responsible if you ask me. 'Could have turn that paper into ashes."

Serena wasn't sure if the girl was just mocking her. They were not close. This was their only subject together. But the redhead didn't sound unkind or anything negative. She gave a tight-lipped smile.

"I mean, he's not my boyfriend," she tried to explain. "So I don't think he's jealous. He has no reason to be."

"I know you're not dumb because you passed this uni's entrance, but I would bet my beautiful butt that you're clueless when it comes to men," Joan teased, grinning.

Serena felt herself blush. "I really think you're mistaken."

Joan noticed that the class in their assigned room was already dismissed. They could wait there now. She stood up and picked her back. Serena followed suit.

"Trust me, he'll ask for the name of the sender."

Darien never did. But at least they were friends again. Friends. It was enough. It was okay even if he didn't offer to drive her to class anymore.


	6. GENERAL ASSEMBLY

GENERAL ASSEMBLY

_The simple lack of 'him' is more to me than others' presence._

_ -adapted-_

It was the first GA of the term. She was kind of hoping to see him there. But he wasn't. It seemed that Darien was too busy for this event. This was her first time, everything was so new. Even if she didn't really prepare for this gathering, she wanted to be present. What did people do in such an activity?

Her question was answered soon enough. The 'oldies', the old members of the organization prepared the program. They introduced themselves, their code names, gave a little speech about what they like about the _org_, what to expect, and said something funny and spontaneous once in a while.

Serena looked around her. It was a big auditorium. There were like a hundred or so people in that affair. Maybe less. She didn't really count. She couldn't. It didn't matter. She was really… alone.

Oh, she knew some of them. But she wasn't really close to anyone. Not yet, anyway. No freshman was from her college. The sophomores to the seniors were too sophisticated to bother with her, she thought. She'd met some of the guys at their meeting place in the university, a studio type hall near the station where she always got her ride home.

Some of the guys were kind to her, tolerant, she believed. Who was she after all? A nondescript.

She heard her name mentioned…

"…Serena, please stand up."

She hated being the center… of distraction. And she definitely, definitely didn't want special treatment or making others plead. She was shy, but she didn't want playing demure, like she wanted to be persuaded more. It simply wasn't her style.

"People, please give her a microphone," the emcee on the stage instructed.

One of the supporting people on the sides extended a mike to her. She really was dumbfounded what it was for. Did she have to introduce herself or something? She was sure that wasn't in the program. She stood up and felt her seat, something similar to a cinema couch, fold up behind her. She took the mike and thanked the lovely girl who handed it to her.

"Can you give us a song?" the emcee asked.

Lightning strike her now. What kind of joke was this? Whoever told these people that she sang? Rei was the professional singer…

She felt the crowd waiting. She didn't like that. Who was she to make them wait? She who was of no importance…

"Maybe she'd sing a religious hymn or something," Tommy sneered loud enough for all to hear.

Or maybe, she thought it was loud because he intended for her to hear it. _Why this conspiracy?_ _I only wanted to be accepted..._

At other times she would really have felt hurt. But right now, she had other things on her mind. There were people waiting. She remembered the first lines of that new song she heard and started…

"_Maybe it's intuition, _

_But some things you just don't question…"_

Just then, somebody from the front shouted, "I KNEW I LOVED YOU!" while raising his right hand to her direction. "Savage Garden," he added in the same excited voice.

She stopped singing then, and smiled, giving the mike back to the girl on the side. She bowed slightly and took her seat. Her knees were shaking.

It wasn't so bad.

The guy was still smiling at her. It was Anthony. She remembered him, offering to drive her to the Math building one time. It happened before she met Darien. She declined then, feeling rather shy. He was with his girlfriend Donna, the stunning Latina from Architecture and she didn't fancy being a third wheel.

She really owed Anthony one this time. She wasn't sure she could ever repay him. Thanks to him she didn't feel too mortified. Thanks to him she'd be going home intact and with her self-respect in one piece although badly shaken.

_AUTHOR'S NOTE:_

_This chapter is dedicated to all who wanted to be accepted and thought they'd embarrassed themselves enough and were still found wanting. _

_I felt like that once… and realized that if they can't accept you for what you are, the problem lies with them. But of course you have to be a little nice, too. :p_


	7. THE GIRLFRIEND

It was a fair day. Her schedule wasn't that cramped and she could go home early. She knew what she'd do. She'd sleep, sleep, sleep. She didn't know that she was smiling to herself.

"Hi," somebody greeted.

Serena raised her face. _It was somebody_. It was Darien.

"Hello." She couldn't fail to notice the girl with him. _Why, oh, why, did they always, always have to meet?_

"Kristina, this is Serena," Darien introduced. "Serena—"

"Yes, I know her," the other girl enthused, before Darien could say another word.

"You know her?" Darien tilted his dark head to Kristina, then looked at Serena.

Serena was also surprised at the assertion. She couldn't remember meeting the girl and she felt ashamed at her rudeness, however unintentional. She really had no excuse. She couldn't shake her head at Darien.

"I saw her. At the GA. She has a great singing voice."

"You sang," Darien mocked, his voice teasing and accusing at the same time.

Serena felt a little hurt.

A good thing Kristina was really nice. "Oh, yes, and she was very good, I tell you," the girl attested.

Kristina was shorter than Serena. Her dark hair was thick and shorter too. It barely reached the girl's shoulders. She was a little chubby, voluptuously so. She was simple, pretty, confident and good-natured. Maybe those were the reasons why Darien liked her. Maybe there was no reason.

"I'm not, really," Serena denied. "But thank you. I'm sorry I didn't see you there."

"It's okay. I live near your apartment. I'm sure we'll meet again soon."

"That's cool. Do visit me when you have the time. I'll introduce you to my friends," she invited.

"You're so kind. I really need a friend. My dad is so strict. I'm sure he would approve of you," she stated.

It seemed that Darien didn't like the shift of attention. Serena noticed this at once and bid her goodbyes to the couple.

"Nice seeing you both. It's really great meeting you, Kristina." She gave a slight nod to Darien's towering form. He wasn't smiling at her now. In fact, she had a feeling that she did something wrong. Why was he looking so grim?

She walked past them and adjusted her backpack that was slung on one shoulder. Now, it felt heavy. Maybe it was her heart that was heavy.

She sighed.

She should have known that Darien would be sensible in choosing a partner. He was not the type to go after sophisticated _belles_ who only knew how to flaunt their assets. His girlfriend would have to be kind too. Like Kristina.

That wasn't the last time she met Kristina and Darien.

And Kristina wasn't Darien's last girlfriend either.

Why did she have to know those things about him? It's not as if she made it her business to know.


	8. the confession

dearest lene,

hey, thank you, thank you for the words of wisdom. don't worry, i didn't find anything pompous (disney word, hehe) or offensive in anything you said in your email. i think that you're really very careful with your words. i stopped being that way three-four years ago. i'm surprised that i could even utter some bad words these days. really, everyday, i was thinking which was my better self... let's say that i'm at crossroads right now.

i don't easily get hurt or offended. when somebody says something i don't like, i don't take it against them. i mean, i don't have control over what they say. they are entitled to their own beliefs and sometimes they can't help if it they walk on mine.

you're right, perhaps the ultimate reason why i cannot go for relationships is because I don't want to get hurt. i always think that i would end up hurt... so it's difficult to enter even into friendship.

but maybe, Darien and I aren't really that close. i mean, there are friends... and there are FRIENDS.

sometimes, i think, it's because of my special feelings for him. maybe because of that... i tend to see something in his actions... which might not be really there.

i mean, i hate myself. [not literally, i love myself. it's Darien who doesn't.] why do i remember things connected to him? maybe he doesn't even remember me.

one time, three times in a row, in one single day, I tell you, I met him in three different libraries in the university. on the third time, I said to myself,

Darien again?

and, I had a friend with me and he had a charming girl with him. It was Kristina, I think. i don't know if he was courting her of if she became his girlfriend ever...

and he asked me, "What did you say? Darien again? I heard what you said." And his smile was mocking. And I think at that time it made my heart jump. The memory still makes me smile. I felt so stupid. I couldn't believe I said it out loud. talk about embarrassing.

sometimes he's kind. and I don't like guys who are kind. But for him, I made an exception. I mean, he's kind to his family and friends. He has that brooding quality and our conversations had sense... and I think he's a little obnoxious sometimes... maybe that's why i like him. now, i'm really weird.

one time, i was waiting for a friend at mcdo. Darien and I saw each other that day. i would occasionally look at the fastfood's glass doors, and there... he was... Again. I think that should be our song. Again.

he didn't order at once. i hadn't ordered yet as well because i was waiting for my friend. i was a little surprised when he acknowledged me and asked me if i was with somebody. i said no, but a friend was coming.

he asked, is it okay to sit down?

now where are my manners? i didn't even invite him. well, pardon the girl for being dumbstruck.

i'll leave once he's here, he offered. which was so cute... haha... it was really so... so charming of him... i mean, i wanted to say,

hey, don't you know, that I would donate blood to the red cross every month perhaps, if it would make you sit beside me all the time. haha.

just so you know, lene, i've never donated blood. i like to but i don't think i'll survive it. now my brother, sammy, is a red cross volunteer.

i faint at the sight of blood and syringes. honest. one time, when my mom was hospitalized, i really blacked out while the nurses drew samples from her.

i had to be CT scanned because my head hit the floor, i had this big bump on my forehead and i was out for several seconds. if i died that moment, i wouldn't have known. so death was like that, i said to myself. it's painless. it's total blackness. and if you never returned, you wouldn't know that you'd even lived.

i have poor tolerance when it comes to pain, which perhaps explained my attitude towards relationships. i don't even want to watch people who are being tortured because i really feel for them.

and i am willing to go to that length for him. imagine that. and he was asking me if he could sit down and he'd leave once my friend had arrived.

sigh. if i could only tell my friend not to come that moment, i would. oh, i really would.  
haha. but this friend is a very dear friend too... so i just told him, it's no problem. you might even know her. (my friend, i mean)

we belong to the same group, the three of us, but it's possible that they don't know each other. but maybe they do know each other.

so finally, there was a face to a name. because my friend knows of my feelings for Darien. She knows i like this guy, so her voice and eyes were teasing when she arrived. i think she had a pretty good idea when she looked at Darien, when i introduced them, i pretended to be oblivious.

now, before my friend arrived, we, this guy and I got to talk about a few things... his job applications, continued studies, what he's been doing, what he thinks about this and that,

he's sinned, he said...

and i said, what kind of sin? (the nerve, huh)

and then, he said, now that's for me alone. haha. we both laughed

but i felt stupid for asking.

it was really stupid, stupid. but he was so cute. i didn't know if he noticed that i was looking at him all the time.

when my friend arrived, i let them talk. you could say, i left them to it. i couldn't find a word to say to him, anyway anymore. i'm simply overwhelmed that he sat across me. i don't know what I would have done if i'm the one who entered the fastfood later and i saw him already settled i'm sure that i couldn't ask to share his table. i really don't know what i'd have done. turn tail and fled maybe. i'm an expert at that.

Darien is totally wonderful, i tell you. i guess you could say, he's exceeded my expectations. the kind that you only read in books, as they say. i know he's not perfect. i wouldn't deceive myself like that. but i think he nearly is.

right now, i'd just like to think that he's already married and it's useless to go on hoping. but i wish we could have been friends, closer friends before he got married. i could have been happier then.

so i guess... this is really goodbye to love. haha.

i enjoy hearing from you and i share most of your views. Maybe there's really a topic where we really differ and over a cup of coffee or something, we could say why the other is wrong or what. Sometimes, i'm afraid to do this because I don't know how the other person would react. I wouldn't like that person to clam up to me forever or be bothered, I don't wanna put him/her through that. But if you're ready for an honest answer, you can ask me directly and I would tell you honestly what I think without mincing or sugarcoating my words.

always,

serena 


	9. Chapter 9

_Le Marsol Beach…_

"What are you smiling about?" Darien asked.

"Nothing," Serena replied, trying to cover up her lapse. He shouldn't have seen that.

"Come on. That smile of amusement on your lips can't be dismissed as nothing," he insisted.

"Okay. Somebody told me that I've automatically lost twenty-five percent of my life because I don't know how to swim," she admitted.

"Care to tell me who that somebody is?" His eyes narrowed slightly and there was a dangerous expression on his handsome face.

She shook her head.

Tongue in cheek, he continued. "Male or female?"

She gave a small laugh. "Female. Almost all of my friends are." She had a feeling that he hated the clarification _almost._

"And?" he persevered.

"And now I think I gained ten percent of my life back, having you as my swimming instructor," she answered, not certain what the question was.

"Ten percent, huh? Are you sure it couldn't be lower?" he scoffed.

Serena was sure that his tone, albeit disbelieving, was without derision.

"Hmm, five percent?" He laughed, and so did she after a while. "No, I'm positive it's ten."

He returned her smug grin. "Then I guess I'd better make sure it stays that way."

"You could be lucky," she dared.

They were in teasing mode now. And she felt a little ill at ease.

"Or I could always let you and save you. That way, you owe me your whole life," he stated, trying to alarm her.

She paled. They were, after all, in deep waters and he was holding both of her hands.

Another reason why she was feeling quite nervous.

"You wouldn't."

"You really are afraid of the water, aren't you?" he said charmingly.

"Terrified," she admitted.

"In that case, rest assured you're in the best of care. There's no better lifeguard around."

"Nice to notice you're not lacking in conceit," she replied.

"Wouldn't do to be found wanting," he answered back, smiling again. He let go of one of her hands and started walking, pulling her along.

She tried to keep up.

Note: This is a part of a longer chapter. I only have time to type this interlude. Hope you liked it.


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